Patent GB-661384-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to statistical machines
IPC: G06C11/08
Filed: 1948-06-08
Abstract: 661,384. Statistical apparatus. PERRIN, J. May 6, 1949 [June 8, 1948], No. 15461/48. Class 106 (i). A statistical machine comprises a sensing device to analyse data on a record card, means to transmit data analysed from a card to a calculating device, a punch unit operable in synchronism with the sensing device, means to condition the punch unit in accordance with a result transmitted from the calculating device and actuating means for actuating the sensing device and the punch unit. The invention also provides means whereby if the set punches are not set properly the actuating means is not operated. An electric motor 3, Fig. 2, on actuation of a manual switch 4 continuously rotates, through a worm gearing, a driving member 5 of a clutch of the type described in Specification 328,255, [Class 31 (ii)], which clutch connects the main shaft 7, Fig. 1A, to the motor 3. The driving member 5 carries four dogs 9 which co-operate with a spring-loaded plunger which is on a member 10 secured to the main shaft 7 and which is normally held clear of the rotating dogs 9 by a lever 13, Fig. 3, pivoted at 15 to a bar 16 slidable in slots in brackets 17 and carrying a pin 18 which engages in a cam slot 19 in a lug 20 on a pivoted rocking lever 21 connected to a lever 24 which at one end is connected to the armature 25 of an electromagnet 26. Upon energization of the electromagnet 26 the lever 24 is moved to the left, to the position shown in Fig. 3, thus rocking the lever 21 clockwise to the position wherein a pawl 27 engages the detent 28. The bar 16 and the lever 13 are moved rearwardly whereupon the spring pressed plunger (not shown) engages one of the dogs 9 so that the main shaft 7 is rotated by the motor 3 for a complete revolution when a pin 29 on a collar 30 secured to the shaft 7 moves the pawl 27 to release the detent 28 and a spring 34 returns the levers 24, 21 to their initial positions and the shaft 7 stops. If the electromagnet 26 operates correctly the lever 24 will be moved sufficiently far for a moving contact 36 carried by a block 37 mounted on the lever 24 to abut a fixed contact 35 so that an impulse is sent to the calculating device. During rotation of the main shaft 7, Fig. 1A, an eccentric 44 thereon effects through a link 43 and arms 40 a reciprocation of a picker 39 which feeds the bottom record card from a magazine 38 to feed rollers 45 which pass the card to a sensing chamber 46 comprising plates 55, 56 mounted on a carriage 57, the card being arrested in said chamber by a stop 47 vertically reciprocated through levers 49, 50 controlled by a cam 48 on a shaft 51 driven from the main shaft 7. Sensing pins 61 are mounted for axial movement between guide plates 62, 63 and are normally held with their collars 64 on the plate 62. The pins 61 and plates 62, 63 are supported in side plates 65 slidably mounted on bars 66 so as to provide selection of the card field to be sensed. The sensing pins 61 are respectively connected at their upper ends to rigid wires 67 passing through guide plates 70, 69, 68, Figs. 1A, and 1B, and having at their upper ends freely rotatable cylindrical contact members 71 which have conductor strips 72, 73 and insulated strips 74 and which pass through a conductor plate 75 mounted on insulated bars 76 secured to the side plates 65. Springs 78 urge the members 71 and therefore the pins 61 downwardly and also serve to complete the electrical connection to the conductor plate 75. Fixed leafspring contact members 79 depending from an insulated plate 80 normally engage the conducting strips 73 of the members 71. The terminals 81 of the contact members 79 are connected to the calculating device. During the rotation of the main shaft 7 an adjustable fan cam 82, 83, Fig. 5, mounted thereon effects through a roller 86 movement of a pivoted T-shaped arm 87 to cause closure of contacts 93, 84, whereby a potential is applied to the conductor plate 75. Sensing. The carriage 57 is lifted upwardly by a cam 58 and a link 59 to effect sensing in known manner, the pins 61 which pass through perforations in the card and their associated ,contact members 71 remaining stationary while the other pins 61 and associated members 71 are raised. The contacts 79 associated with the stationary pins remain in contact with the strips 73 so that when a potential is applied to the conductor plate 75, as described above, the calculating machine receives a number of impulses representative of the sensed data. A " no-card switch 95, 96, Fig. 4 (not shown), operated by a special sensing pin is in the circuit of the conductor plate which is therefore not supplied with current in the absence of a card in the sensing chamber. After sensing the chamber 46, Fig. 1A, is lowered and the card is fed by rollers 97, 98 to a punch chamber 99, wherein it is arrested by a stop 100 vertically reciprocated through a linkage by a cam on the main shaft 7. The chamber 99 comprises upper and lower die members 104, 105 on a vertically reciprocable carriage 103. The punches 106 are supported in a guide plate 107 and cooperate with set bars 108 above which are axially movable selector pins 109, Fig. 1B, urged upwardly by springs 112 and connected by rigid wires 113 to the armatures 114 of electromagnets 115. The upper ends of the armatures 114 having cylindrical contacts 117, each having an insulated ring and a conducting ring, the insulated rings being engaged by resilient fixed contacts 118. The electromagnets 115 are mounted on bars 119, Fig. 7, supported on members 120 movable relative to side plates 121 and each coil connected to a terminal in a panel 122. The electromagnets 115, the selector pins 109 and the wires 113 are mounted as a unit slidable transversely on bars 123 so as to select the punching field of the card. The panel terminals are connected to the electrical calculating device and receive impulses therefrom representative of the result of the calculation effected thereby. The appropriate electromagnets 115 are energized and the associated armatures 114 are moved axially downwards so that the associated selector pins 109 are moved against springs 112 and the corresponding bars 108 are depressed and looked by known means. The circuit of the electromagnets 115 includes a synchronizing guard switch 125, Fig. 8 (not shown), operated by a fan cam on the main shaft to ensure correct timing of the energization of the electromagnets 115. The bars 108 which are locked cause the associated punches 106 to make holes in the card when the carriage 103 is raised. The switches 117, 118 are in circuit with the electromagnet 26, Fig. 9 (not shown), so that operation thereof is prevented if any of the punches have not been set correctly. The card is fed from the chamber 99, Fig. 1A, by rollers and a roller 128 is moved by the card to operate a switch 132, 134 in the circuit of the electromagnet 26. The arrangement is such that if a card is detected by the " no-card " switch and the switch 132, 134 is not operated at the appropriate time the circuit to the electromagnet 26 is not completed. The card passes from the roller 128 on to a plate 135 in a receiving magazine 133. When the magazine is full a switch is so operated that further energization of the electromagnet 26 is prevented.